Archive for the ‘Equip’ Category

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8, NKJV

by Toni Birdsong
A sobering reality that comes with our goal to #LiveSticky as Christ followers online is being wise to the enemy’s schemes. You know the score, beloved. The last thing the enemy wants to see is Jesus and His tribe of twenty-first-century, Internet-savvy followers gaining ground online. The enemy turns up the volume, complicates the simple, and amplifies the yammering so we don’t know which way is up. He is the cultivator of fear, paranoia, and intimidation. He is the master of confusion and the king of anxiety. His goal is the same as it was in the garden.

The enemy sets out each day to silence God’s message of hope and genuine relationship with His children. But you don’t have to pick up the lies the enemy is putting down. God’s Truth is your weapon as you log on each day.

Lies of the enemy

You are in the minority in the online world.

You are outvoted, outnumbered, and outranked here on earth.

Your faith is obsolete tradition rather than the God-breathed origin of humankind.

Your voice isn’t relevant.

No one is listening to you.

Engaging in social media is too hard, and you can’t make a difference.

You’re living in end times, and the online world is too lost to change.

God’s Truth

Your inheritance includes the riches of heaven, and you belong to the holy majority (1 Peter 1:4; 1 John 4:4). You + God = a majority.

As God’s child, you’ve been given dominion and power over this earth (Genesis 1:28).

The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it (including the Internet).

You carry a message that has transformed every generation since the beginning of time (John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 4).

Everywhere you turn online, ears (and hearts) are burning for truth and hope. The world is morally and spiritually starving to death (Isaiah 1; Matthew 5:14; Luke 5:31; Romans 5:8; 8:7–8; Philippians 2:15).

We win (Job 19:25; Acts 1:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:8).

So get in the game beloved, there’s no turning back, sitting the bench, or asking the ref for a time out. God has given you have everything you need for triumph and promises that through Him you can do all things. It’s your responsiblity to influence the online conversation and tell a clicking, texting, searching generation that they can’t google their eternal life.

What scripture/s help you #LiveSticky (effective for Christ) each day?

Post/Tweet this today:Fix your heart on Truth. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. All means ALL. #LiveSticky

God’s Word not only transforms your life, it transports you back in time. The consequences of sin, brokenness, and repentance unfold by book, chapter, and verse. These themes repeat and God’s faithfulness in every circumstance trumps them all.

You live in a time where digital power allows you to bring others to wherever you are to experience whatever you’re doing. If you frequent any number of social media platforms, you may be living out your life and not even aware of how it is impacting someone else. When the Spirit of the living God’s is alive in you, your influence serves a higher calling and what you share penetrates the stream with life-changing possibilities. Other’s have a chance to see God’s faithfulness at work in you.

To you, Lord, belong greatness and power, honor, splendor, and majesty, because everything in heaven and on earth belongs to you. Yours, Lord, is the kingship, and you are honored as head of all.

~Chronicles 29:11, CEB

Pinterest featue in Metro - 27th February 2012 (Photo credit: Great British Chefs)

By Tami Heim

Social media enthusiasts are enamored with the momentum of Pinterest. The number of men jumping on ‘boards’ is growing. Brand marketers are quickly and strategically infiltrating this network wherever they can. Big brands, intent on converting images into new revenue and profits streams, populate the daily flow of images.

Meanwhile, for those of us on the lookout for every opportunity to #LiveSticky, Pinterest is yet another place to share and live out our faith. On this platform every board holds the possibility of becoming a glorious reflection the God we serve.

Captivating images create conversations and conversations birth more shared experiences. Community happens, relationships form, inspiration abounds, and with a dose of intentionality, Pinterest creations introduce others to the One true Creator. Spirit-filled faith cannot be contained. It seeks to flow directly from our lives into the lives of others. On this rapidly growing social media platform, the current is strong.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. ~Luke 12:48

by Toni BirdsongAs social media becomes more integrated into our everyday life, so too, the moral and social responsibility rises in step. Did you know there are three powerful tools on Facebook that can actually save a life? Hats off to Facebook developers who have wisely integrated the Anti-Bullying Initiative, the Suicide Referral System, and just recently, the Organ Donation Status.

By taking a few minutes to connect with each of these Facebook features and logging on with an “awakened heart,” as we’ve so often discussed on this blog and in our book, @stickyJesus: how to live out your faith online, your online time can impact that reaches beyond the everyday chatter.

While the Anti-Bullying Initiative and the Suicide Referral System can be powerful, practical ways to help Facebook “friends” in danger online, the Organ Donation Status could very well be a cultural game changer in the world of organ transplants. It’s estimated that more than 114,000 people in the U.S, nearly 10,000 people in the UK and millions more around the world are waiting for a suitable organ. Many will die waiting because there aren’t enough organ donors to meet the need.

Who is Phillip Randoll?

It’s a question many are asking around the Nashville area. Old school mystery, intrigue, and suspense populate the posts on social media sites. They attract the curious and cause buzz to build.

Investigate all the pieces and you find a story unfolding through twitter and Facebook status updates. A blog, videos, posters, and yard signs are carefully designed to catch your attention. Cryptic messages flow with just enough information to pique your interest in the fortunate death of a man no one claims to know.

As clues surface daily, it becomes clear there’s only one way you’ll discover the Truth and the whole story about this man named Phillip Randoll…

After taking a brief hiatus from blogging, the @stickyJesus team is back . . . with some news. Since our book released in hardback nationwide this month, we’ve been having a blast doing interviews, guests posts, interacting with bloggers, and talking 24/7 about what it means to stand apart and #LiveSticky online.

You helped us get the word out online, and now the @stickyJesus message is finding new wings in retail stores and in direct-to-church channels, thanks to our friends at Abingdon Press, who now publish our little book.

What’s new?Patheos Live Chat: We’re spicing things up in the months to come with guest bloggers, Q & A sessions, and kicking it all off with a live chat this week hosted by Patheos.com. Will you join us?The chat will be this week, Thurs. March 1, from 1-2, CT. Ask us questions, give us feedback, and share your personal challenges (and triumphs) in daily living out your faith in the online space!

Patheos Book Club: Being part of this diverse site has been great exposure for the gospel and this very unique platform of online evangelism. Please, join in the conversation if you’ve read the book. We’d love to see your post and add your feedback to the mix!

Store Locator: Wondering where you can get the beautiful new hardback of @stickyJesus: how to live out your faith online (Abingdon Press, Feb. 2012)? Check out these stores near you, or as always, you can purchase on Amazon.com in both hardback, ebook and Kindle. If the store nearest you doesn’t carry it—please ask them to!

In Churches: Wanna be extra sticky? Ask your pastor to carry @stickyJesus in your church bookstore. Simply give them this ISBN number: ISBN-13: 978-1-4267-4189-0 and they can easily order at the church rate from Abingdon Press.

What’s next?

We’re excited to announce we’ve got a #LiveSticky curriculum coming out in the Fall 2012 that will include a DVD that includes how-tos, individual and group study questions, and stories from bloggers in the book. It’s our prayer this curriculum will ignite the larger conversation in churches about how together we can share the gospel online—with confidence and impact!

We’ll also be speaking a ton, so stay tuned to our Media Room for more.

Again, thanks to all our #LiveSticky friends and helping us move this message forward!

Jesus said, “A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it.” ~ Mark 12:1

By Toni BirdsongWe live on a broken planet; in a culture increasingly underwhelmed by vows, divorce and extramarital affairs—so Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to give a shout out to Love—God’s love for us, ours for Him, and for the gift and covenant of marriage.

As Christians living in a digital world we need to get intentional about honoring the covenant of marriage—for ourselves—and for a mislead world looking on. A Christ-centered marriage puts a “no trespassing” sign in the enemy’s face and tells everyone around you that values such as “marriage, fidelity, honor, respect, family, faith, and love” will never go out of fashion in your home.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ~ 1 Peter 1:3

This is the third and last post in a series on parents, teens, and Facebook.

By Toni Birdsong
It takes courage to be a parent in this digital age. However, we often forget it takes more courage to be a teen.

Think back to junior high and high school. Think about the peer pressure, the competition, the cliques, and the conflicts. Now, magnify that. Imagine carrying that weight of the hallways home with you every single day.

That’s what kids today have to do. As digital natives who have grown up with mobile devices and social networks, teens must communicate and “get through” social jungles we never dreamed of.

whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ~Phil. 4:8

This is the second in a three-part series on parents, teens, and Facebook.

By Toni BirdsongThis week we’re going to dive deeper into some savvy ways you as a parent can stay ahead of the cyber curve and help your teens enjoy the upsides of Facebook and avoid (or manage) the downsides.

The goal of this series isn’t to teach you how to spy on your teen or question every move he or she makes. The goal is to encourage you as a parent to simply get involved and equip your teen to live a godly, honorable and safe life online. Once you have a sound foundation of teaching with your teen—some of these suggestions may not apply. Every family and every circumstance will differ.

12 Facebook Tips for Christian Parents

1. Communication is key. Talk openly and often about the privilege and responsibility that comes with using Facebook (and being online) and the consequences of breaking the rules. Remember, Rules without Relationship = Rebellion. The Facebook conversation is an ongoing one—not a one-time thing, which makes Facebook an opportunity to build a deeper relationship with your teen so go for it!

by Toni BirdsongOne of the most common questions I get asked by parents is if it’s okay to let their son or daughter have a Facebook page. The first thing I do is gage where they are emotionally with social media. Then I listen. To their concerns. To their hearts. It’s a really big deal. Facebook has added an unexpected—and sometimes overwhelming—dimension to parenting today.

The good news is that God has given us as parents everything we need to lead these beautiful, expressive, swift-moving digital natives He’s entrusted to our care.

To clarify, this series is written to Christian parents in general and does not address the exceptions that exist in every family.

In general my answer to the Facebook question is yes. You should let your teen have a Facebook page if and only if you intend to monitor it—consistently. For teens today, Facebook is a vital connection channel where life, friendship, art, memories, music, and conversation intersect hourly—whether parents agree with that, or even like it.

That doesn’t mean that Facebook is a free-for-all graffiti wall for kids to write or post anything they feel like. Proverb’s directive to Christian parents to “Train up a child in the way he should go” extends to the digital hallways and hangouts.

Blogroll

@tonibirdsong

I love the spoken word, the written word, and the everlasting Word. That God would tap a misfit like me to communicate His sticky message of love to others is proof of His amazing grace. It's my joy to help you dig up, demystify, and, debunk the tech speak so together, we can #LiveSticky online—for Him. Here's a little more of my story.

@tamiheim

I’m a child of the liberating King; soaked in grace, living to serve, and loving others along the way. I long for the utter relief of holiness and grateful I’ve not been left here to get there on my own. Believing whole-heartedly that He qualifies the called, I’ve accepted this assignment as a digital scribe for such a time as this. Here's a little more of my story.

@stickyJesus

. . . exists to equip you, the Christ follower, to confidently live out your faith in the digital world. We're here to infuse biblical perspective and daily inspiration into your online time. We'll help you grow your technical know-how so you can share the sticky love of Jesus Christ with others. We're teaching, listening, and collaborating with a fired-up community of digital scribes about culture, social media, and the kind of relationship building that will outlive cyberspace. Are you in?